Heritage Starfest Circa 2011 -2012

The mission of Heritage Starfest is to foster enjoyment and preservation of the dark skies of the Colorado Plateau as an important part of our natural and cultural heritage.
This was their website.
Content is from the site's 2011- 2012 archived pages.

Heritage Starfest
P.O. Box 206
Teasdale, Utah 84773

Beginning in 2012, the Entrada Institute is able to provide special funding for festival speakers as part of its Saturday Sunset Series programming. Like the mission of the Heritage Starfest, the goal of the Entrada Institute is to promote understanding and appreciation of the natural, historical and cultural heritage of the Colorado Plateau.

In the past, local speakers such as Kate Magargal have volunteered their time to share their expertise in our programs. In the future, we hope to expand this programming to include regional and national speakers focusing on topics related to fostering enjoyment and preservation of our dark skies.

Heritage Starfest 2012

This week’s Saturday Sunset Series events will be held in conjunction with the Heritage Starfest.

The Entrada Institute welcomes speakers and special events at the Heritage Starfest Friday October 12 and Saturday October 13 in Bicknell, Utah!
The weekend event will include a 5K run/walk/bike, family activities, night sky viewing with telescopes, constellation tours, campfire stories, and free food.
Saturday evening’s program will include a meeting of the Colorado chapter of the International Dark Sky Association and a speaker from the Mt. Wilson Observatory.
The event is sponsored by the Entrada Institute!

The Entrada Institute was a proud sponsor of the Heritage Starfest.

On Friday October 12, over 75 people enjoyed a great evening of fun, food, and fitness while learning about the night sky at the Heritage Starfest.
Saturday events included a movie at 2:30 at the Wayne Theatre titled SEEING IN THE DARK.
Activities at the Wayne County Community Center included free food, astronomy activities, a portable planetarium show, speakers, campfire storytelling with smores, and telescope viewing.

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An aside: In 2012 we rented a home in south-central Utah in Torrey for a month so we could explore the Capitol Reef National Park. We went in the fall so the crowd would be less. The park is a hidden treasure filled with cliffs, canyons, domes and bridges in the Waterpocket Fold, a geologic a wrinkle on the earth known as a monocline that extends almost 100 miles. We did not know about Heritage Starfest until the owner mentioned it. My husband is an astronomy buff. We have traveled to the observatories at Mauna Kea on Hawaii’s Big Island offer some of the most pristine star-gazing conditions in the world, been to the massive radio telescope facility located 50 miles west of Socorro, New Mexico, visited the Home of the prime meridian, the Royal Observatory, Greenwich, England, well you get the point. We had chosen Capitol Reef National Park for this "working vacation" trip because the star gazing is suppose to be excellent. The Heritage Starfest was an added plus. The house we rented in Torrey offered wonderful night stars. The owners also had eclectic tastes in their furnishings. They had several Italian dining tables that were stunning in their very modern design that somehow worked perfectly with the rest of the more rustic furnishings. I asked the owner about the tables and found out she had bought them when she lived in Philadelphia before her marriage. The store, room service 360, has a great online site, she said. So I checked out the site and decided to visit the actual Philly showroom when we returned to Washington DC. Our trip to southern Utah was a big success. We have fond memories and lots of pictures of the Capitol Reef National Park. I also have a new dining room table and chairs, thanks to the owner's referral to room sevice 360. And do check out the Heritage Starfest if you are in the Utah area during the fall.

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We’ve created a list of Frequently Asked Questions to help you in learning more about the Heritage Starfest.

Where did the idea for the festival originate?

While speaking at an Entrada Institute event in Torrey, Kate Magargal shared her concerns about preserving the dark skies of Southern Utah. She organized a group to discuss what could be done to reduce light pollution and increase awareness of the importance of dark skies. One idea was to hold a star party to encourage the public to enjoy the beautiful night skies. It was hoped that this awareness would increase interest in saving the dark skies of the Colorado Plateau.

Why is it called the Heritage Starfest?

The planning committee was looking for a name that would reflect the long history of dark skies on the Colorado Plateau. Kate Magargal came up with the word “heritage”. Rather than calling the event a Star Party, we wanted to focus on an entire festival of events. We ended up with Heritage Starfest.

How long as the Heritage Starfest been around?

The first annual Starfest was held in 2010. Events were held in Loa, Lyman, and Bicknell during the first year. For the second event, all events were moved to the Wayne County Community Center in Bicknell, Utah.

The Third Annual Heritage Starfest will be held Friday October 12, and Saturday October 13, 2012.
Put these dates on your calendar and head to Wayne County

The Heritage Starfest includes a wide range of activities for individual and families.

Explore each of the following areas to learn more:

Annual IDA-CP Chapter Program

Campfire Storytelling

Dark Sky Fun Run/Walk/Bike

Dark Sky Movie Matinee

Constellation Tours
Both novice and experienced sky watchers enjoy the constellation tours provided by our volunteers.
During the day, our volunteers preview the upcoming attractions.
As the sun sets, the tours begin to explore the beauty of our night sky.

Annual IDA-Colorado Plateau Chapter Program

In conjunction with the Heritage Starfest, the International Dark-Sky Association Colorado Plateau Chapter and Entrada Institute sponsor a Saturday evening program.

This program features speakers focusing on the natural and cultural heritage of our dark skies and how they can be preserved for future generations.

In 2011, Kate Magargal presented a program called Dark Skies of the Colorado Plateau.

2011- 2012 Blog Posts

Join the Heritage Starfest on Facebook
July 01, 2012 | Posted by : katemagargal
The 2012 Heritage Starfest is now a Facebook event! To join the event, search "Colorado Plateau Dark Skies" which is a group on facebook. Click the events tab and you will see where you can click to join the "Heritage Starfest 2012" event. This is a free and public event so bring your friends and family! Also, feel free to join the Colorado Plateau Dark Skies group. The group will help you stay informed of activities relating to dark sky enjoyment and preservation under some of the best starry skies in the country.

New Funding Source
November 15, 2011 | Posted by : admin
The Entrada Institute is working with the Heritage Starfest to fund speakers for the 2012 Heritage Starfest. This new funding source will allow the planning committee to reach outside the local area for program speakers and resources.

Third Heritage Starfest Dates Announced
November 01, 2011 | Posted by : admin
The Third Annual Heritage Starfest will be held Friday October 12, and Saturday October 13, 2012. Put these dates on your calendar and head to Wayne County Utah for a wonderful Fall weekend of fun!

Report to WCBA
October 11, 2011 | Posted by : admin
Annette Lamb provided a report to the Wayne County Business Association in Loa, Utah on October 11, 2011. She presented a short slide show providing an overview of the Heritage Starfest events highlighting the impact of the Heritage Starfest on local businesses. Thanks to the WCBA for their ongoing funding and support.

Starfest Success
October 02, 2011 | Posted by : admin
The Second Annual Heritage Starfest was a wonderful way for families to learn about the heritage of dark skies, the science of astronomy, and the beauty of the universe. The festival included family activities, a 5K dark sky fun walk/run/bike event, night sky viewing through telescopes, an award-winning documentary film, dark skies programs, campfire storytelling, vendors, and much more.

Activities included a solar system game played with balls and paper plates. The active game got everyone moving while learning about astronomy. Linton Rohr shared his amazing meteorite collection with participants. The new 4-H iPad and Starwalk App was an exciting tool for identifying the constellations.

Kate Magargal and Steve Taylor were featured speakers. Kate discussed the dark skies of the Colorado Plateau. Steve talked about local place names and the role of stars in geographic location.

Each evening, telescopes were set up in the parking lot of the Wayne County Community Center. The afternoon began with overcast skies, but ended up with clear viewing by dark. Visitors of all ages were able to view Jupiter and four of its planets, the Andromeda galaxy, and much more. Thanks to the many volunteers and participants who made this event a great success! Check out photos on Facebook.

Featured Storyteller Steve Taylor
September 06, 2011 | Posted by : admin
Wayne County historian and storyteller Steve Taylor will be a featured storyteller at the Heritage Starfest Campfire Storytelling event Saturday Night October 1.

THE CITY DARK featured at Starfest
August 09, 2011 | Posted by : admin
The award-winning film "The City Dark" will be featured at a Saturday matinee during the Heritage Starfest. Learn more about this exciting film at The City Dark.

Heritage Starfest 2011
Press And Media Kit Available
August 08, 2011 | Posted by : admin
Check out the 2011 Heritage Starfest Poster and Rack Card (Side 1 and Side 2). You can also print an informational sheet about the festival. For more information, go to the Press-Media Kit page.

Heritage Starfest Slide Show
July 27, 2011 | Posted by : admin
Watch a slide show created to discuss the Heritage starfest event and potential economic impact for Wayne County. Go to http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mhs_ibjR9iA